CAF stadium ban a disgrace to NPP commitment to sports

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is deeply saddened by the catastrophic decline of sports in Ghana, particularly under the administration of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) led by President Nana Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. This decline has reached unprecedented levels, with the recent withdrawal of approval by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the Baba Yara Sports Stadium to host international games.

Sports have always been a unifying factor and a source of pride for Ghanaians, cutting across all political affiliations. It is disheartening to note that, under the current government, not a single stadium in Ghana is fit to host the Black Stars or group matches of the CAF Champions League or Confederation Cup. The loss of this critical sporting infrastructure means Ghana must now rely on neighbouring countries such as Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Benin, or Togo for international fixtures. This marks a shameful chapter in our sports history and is further proof of the NPP government’s inability to manage the country’s resources.

Under the NDC’s administration, by the end of 2017, all major sports facilities, including the Essipon Sports Stadium in Takoradi, the Tamale Sports Stadium, the Accra Sports Stadium, and the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, were operational and well-maintained. Additionally, the newly constructed Cape Coast Sports Stadium, inaugurated in 2016, brought the number of our major sports venues to five.

Today, under the NPP, none of these stadiums are in a position to host international games. The Essipon Sports Stadium has been shut down, the Tamale Sports Stadium is in a deplorable state, and the Cape Coast Sports Stadium has deteriorated significantly. The Accra Sports Stadium remains in poor condition, while the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, the last standing facility for international games, has now been declared unfit by CAF. This poor infrastructure is a result of incompetent management, lack of maintenance, and massive corruption at the NSA, culminating in the poor performance of the nation's participation in various competitions and games at all levels since the NPP took over the reins of our country. For two conservative times, the National Football Team, the Black Stars, were kicked out of the AfCON at the group stages, the Black Starlets were banned from the FIFA Under 17 World Cup, the Black Queens failed to qualify for the Women's World Cup, Our National sports federations do not get funding to participate in mandatory Olympic and Paralympic qualifications which saw Ghana out of Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The government’s emphasis on the construction of new multi-purpose sports complexes across the country has proven to be a smokescreen for their failure. These facilities have been left to rot in the bush despite the enormous state resources invested in them.

In another glaring instance of wasteful expenditure, the government spent $245 million on hosting the 13th African Games in Accra just five months ago. Despite this massive investment, including $34.2 million allocated for the construction of the Legon Stadium, Ghana is still unable to host an official CAF match there. It is unacceptable that after such heavy spending, the facilities have already become unusable for international matches.

The NDC is equally appalled by the NPP’s culture of impunity and corruption, as demonstrated by the exoneration of Pius Enam Hadzide following the Australia Visa Scandal. Worse still, Mr. Hadzide is now openly boasting about his involvement in the scandal, promising his constituents future acts of corruption in exchange for votes.

Ghana’s sporting legacy is in ruins under the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration. The youth, who once saw sports as a viable avenue for talent development and success, now face an uncertain future. We call on the Ghanaians to vote massively against the NPP in the December General Elections and bring back the NDC to take immediate and meaningful steps to restore Ghana’s sports infrastructure, not only for the sake of the athletes but for the unity and pride of the entire nation.

Signed,
Dr. Fred Awaah
Spokesperson on Sports
National Democratic Congress (NDC)